Breakdown 2: NYC Escape
by redhedqt
Summary: When Dean's younger brother comes to Degrassi seeking revenge, Manny, Craig, and Jimmy have no choice but to head to NYC and meet up with Sean. How will these Canadian teenagers survive in a very grown up American city?
1. Chapter One: The Runner

Chapter One: The Runner  
  
It was a typical day like any other at Degrassi. Students were scattered around the hallways, talking to each other, rambling through lockers, running to class. Amidst all the chaos were Craig Manning, Manny Santos, and Jimmy Brooks, three of the most popular students there, mostly because of their history.  
  
Craig, Manny, and Jimmy had spent the last two years of high school doing anything they could to make a quick dollar. This included pirating software and music, running bets on sporting events, and drug dealing. In fact, they kind of specialized in the latter. They were three of the biggest dealers in the area, until the number one dealer had enough of it and came after them. They narrowly escaped with their lives.  
  
Jimmy had since gotten out of dealing after being shot in the arm, but still dabbled in piracy and bets. However, his girlfriend Manny and his friend Craig were still going strong in the dealing area.  
  
Manny exclusively dealt drugs. She didn't bother with piracy or betting, it was nonsense to her. She stuck with drugs, and it was making her a fantastic living. She had even managed to move out of her parents' home in a run down area and into a nice apartment.  
  
While Manny and Jimmy both had their areas they liked to stick to, Craig dipped into a little bit of everything, and he was well known for it. Geeks flocked to him for the latest video game. Punk kids ran him down to get the latest bootleg album. He pulled in over five hundred dollars from every single event he bet on. And he couldn't keep any sort of drug on him without having someone want to buy it.  
  
As far as the three students were concerned, life was good. They were much more cautious now, considering what had happened with their nemesis Dean Marin, but life was still good.  
  
"Okay, so..." Craig paused, and looked around for any teachers or the principal. When he was satisfied there were no eavesdroppers, he turned back to Manny. "There's a shipment coming in on Wednesday. It's about twenty pounds of blow."  
  
Manny raised her eyebrows. "Can I ask where from?"  
  
"Columbia. Uncut." Craig replied.  
  
"And how much are we paying for this, exactly?"  
  
"Six thousand." Craig muttered. "But we'll be able to triple our profits."  
  
"I'll have to think about it." Manny replied. "That's a lot of money to plop down, if you know what I mean."  
  
"Manny, it translates to at least eighteen thousand. At least. Come on, please?" Craig asked.  
  
Manny sighed. "Fine. I'll put down half."  
  
"Great, thanks. I gotta go, I've gotta talk to our new guy."  
  
"What's his name again?" Manny asked.  
  
"Jared." Craig replied.  
  
"Okay." Manny replied, shrugging. "I have to go to class. I'll see you later?"  
  
"Yeah, I'll catch you before lunch." Craig replied. "Later." With that, Craig took off down the hall.  
  
"So what did Craig want?" Jimmy asked, walking up to Manny and wrapping his arms around her waist.  
  
"He was just telling me about this new shipment that's gonna pull in close to twenty k." Manny replied.  
  
"Cool." Jimmy replied. "So, my parents are out of town tonight, so party at my place. Help me spread the word?"  
  
"You know it." Manny replied. "Okay, I really, really have to go to class. If I walk into Kwan's class late again she's gonna kill me."  
  
"Yeah, okay." Jimmy kissed her softly. "See you after."  
  
Manny smiled up at him. "Bye."  
  
Meanwhile...  
  
Craig waited outside for his new "runner". JT had gotten out of the business a long time ago, ever since he was run over by a few of Dean Marin's boys. This left Craig and Manny scrambling to find another one. Craig had heard about Jared through the grapevine and would be meeting him today.  
  
He saw someone walking through the schoolyard towards him.  
  
"Hey." He said. "You must be Jared."  
  
The kid looked at him. "Yeah, that's me. Jared Marin."  
  
Craig's eyes widened, and his face went white as a sheet. "Oh shit."  
  
"Yeah, that's right. Just returning the favor, Manning." Jared pulled a handgun out of the waistband of his jeans.  
  
Thinking quickly, Craig kicked open the Degrassi double doors just as Jared fired at him. He dove through the doors, kicking them shut.  
  
"Shit shit shit!" he said as Jared fired the gun again. He crawled a few feet, jumped up, and began running down the hall. He headed towards Jimmy's first period, Computer Applications with Mr. Simpson. He flung open the door and everyone in the class looked up, surprised.  
  
"Craig, can I help you?" Mr. Simpson asked.  
  
"Jimmy, we gotta go, and we gotta go now!" Craig yelled.  
  
"Why? What's going on?" Jimmy asked.  
  
"Excuse me! Craig!" Mr. Simpson yelled. Craig ignored him.  
  
"Two words, Jared Marin."  
  
"You mean?" Jimmy asked.  
  
"We gotta get the hell outta here!" Craig replied.  
  
Jimmy got up quickly. "Mr. Simpson, ask your stepdaughter about it, she'll tell you everything." He and Craig quickly ran out of the classroom.  
  
"What the...no you wait! Come back here right now!" Mr. Simpson yelled. Just before he ran out the door, gunshot rang out through the halls. Everyone screamed and dove under their desks.  
  
Jimmy and Craig ran through the hallway, quickly turning around a corner.  
  
"Where are we going?" Craig asked.  
  
"Kwan's. We gotta get Manny." Jimmy replied.  
  
Meanwhile...  
  
"Can anyone give me an example of something that is Kafkaesque?" Mrs. Kwan asked her class. Nobody moved. "Anyone?"  
  
Suddenly, the door swung open, banging against the wall loudly.  
  
"What is the meaning of this, gentlemen?" Mrs. Kwan asked, irritated.  
  
"Manny, we have to go now!" Jimmy yelled.  
  
"What's going on?" Manny asked, standing up.  
  
"Miss Santos, take your seat!" Mrs. Kwan yelled.  
  
"Mrs. Kwan, you don't understand..." Craig began, and was cut off by another gunshot. "Fuck!" he slammed the door.  
  
The entire class began to panic.  
  
"Don't worry about it. He's after us." Jimmy told Mrs. Kwan, who was under her desk like the rest of her class. "Manny, get that window open!"  
  
Manny scrambled to open the lock, but it was too hard for her. Finally, Craig picked up a chair and broke through the glass.  
  
"We'll pay for that." Manny said as she scrambled out the window, quickly followed by Jimmy, then Craig.  
  
"Where the hell are we gonna go?" Manny asked as they ran through the courtyard.  
  
"My car!" Craig yelled.  
  
The three teens made it to Craig's car quickly, hopping in. Craig sped down the road.  
  
"Holy shit, Craig. What the hell did you do behind my back?" Manny asked.  
  
"The guy that's trying to kill us right now? That's our new runner, Manny. Jared Marin." Craig replied.  
  
"Marin? Fuck. Craig, I told you to start doing background checks!" Manny yelled.  
  
"It's a little late for that, isn't it?" Jimmy replied. "Where are we going?"  
  
"I don't know, but we've gotta get the hell outta Degrassi." Craig replied.  
  
Manny thought for a second. "I've got an idea. Give me your phone." She told Jimmy.  
  
"Why?" Jimmy asked, handing it to her.  
  
Manny dialed a number and waited for someone to pick up. "Sean? Hey, it's Manny. Um, we have a problem here. Well, Dean's brother is after us."  
  
"Sean? Hell no, Manny. Hang up!" Jimmy yelled.  
  
"That'd be great. Text message me the info, okay? Thanks. Bye." Manny hung up.  
  
"Alright, what the hell was that about?" Craig demanded.  
  
"What do you guys think about New York City?" Manny replied. 


	2. Chapter Two: Surprise Company

Chapter Two: Surprise Company  
  
As Manny, Craig, and Jimmy scrambled to get all their stuff together before running off to New York City, a certain person was watching outside Craig's bedroom window.  
  
"Okay, so, Manny, how much money do we have right now?" Craig asked as he grabbed his guitar.  
  
"Um, sixteen thousand, four hundred seventy...and eighty two cents." Manny replied. "That's twelve thousand, five hundred sixty eight and thirty cents in American currency."  
  
Craig rolled his eyes. "So subtract at least three grand off that, that doesn't even leave us with ten grand."  
  
"Look, we can make it back. Sean knows people." Manny replied.  
  
"I don't wanna know the people Sean knows. As soon as all of this dies down, I'm coming back." Jimmy replied.  
  
"Well, that could be months, so get used to it."  
  
"Need some company?" a voice asked. Craig, Manny, and Jimmy jumped at the voice, and turned to find Emma Nelson climbing in Craig's window.  
  
"Emma, what are you doing here?" Manny demanded.  
  
"Simpson wanted to know your story, so I told him. Then I put two and two together, gave Sean a buzz, and here I am." Emma replied, plopping down on Craig's bed.  
  
"Em, I think you'd better get back to school. It's not safe around us." Craig replied as he stuffed clothes in his duffel bag.  
  
"I'll take the risk." Emma replied. "So can I come?"  
  
Jimmy, Manny, and Craig all stopped what they were doing and looked at her. "Come where?" Jimmy asked.  
  
Emma rolled her eyes. "Don't play dumb, Jimmy. You know what I want."  
  
"Emma, you can't come. Your parents would kill you." Manny replied.  
  
"Look, I haven't seen Sean in six months. I'm going."  
  
"Sean? That's what this is about? You wanna see Sean? Forget it, Emma. This isn't a field trip, and we don't have the money to pay for your ticket." Jimmy replied.  
  
Emma rolled her eyes, opened her purse, and pulled out her bank card, dropping it on Craig's bed.  
  
"You want money? I have money."  
  
Manny gasped. "Emma, that's your college money!"  
  
"Consider this an extracurricular field trip. Who knows, maybe I'll look at NYU while I'm there." Emma mused.  
  
Manny and Craig looked at each other, then at Jimmy. Jimmy rolled his eyes and sighed.  
  
"Okay, fine. But this isn't a sight seeing trip, Emma. You need to be aware that you're in real danger traveling with us."  
  
Emma walked over to Craig's open window, grabbed her bag, and set it on Craig's floor. "I'm aware."  
  
Later...  
  
"How long is this flight again?" Manny asked as she walked down the airplane aisle.  
  
"I think an hour?" Jimmy replied. "Just relax, you'll be fine." He kissed her bare shoulder to calm her down.  
  
"I hate flying." Craig said as he stuffed his duffel bag in the overhead bin. Jimmy and Emma did the same with their bags, leaving Manny to glare at them. They all stopped and looked at her.  
  
"What???" they asked.  
  
"A little help?" Manny asked.  
  
"With what?" Craig replied. Manny threw her bag at him.  
  
"Hello, 5'3!!!" she replied. Jimmy laughed.  
  
"I got it, Manny. Just sit down." Jimmy replied. Craig and Emma looked at each other, amused.  
  
"Alright, here we go!" Emma said as she buckled her seatbelt.  
  
About an hour later...  
  
"Emma, we're on the ground now. You can unbuckle your seatbelt." Manny told her. Emma shook her head.  
  
"The plane hasn't stopped yet. We could hit another plane." She replied, her fingers gripping the armrests hard, her knuckles turning white. She hadn't moved since takeoff.  
  
Craig laughed. "Em, don't worry your little blonde head, okay? We're fine."  
  
"Hey, you guys?" Manny asked. Jimmy, Craig, and Emma turned to look at her.  
  
"Look out the window." She said.  
  
Emma, Craig, and Jimmy leaned over to look out Manny's window. Stretched out before them was the New York skyline.  
  
"Holy shit." Emma said. "My mom is gonna kill me." 


	3. Chapter Three: New York, New York

Chapter 3: New York, New York  
  
Emma, Manny, Jimmy and Craig walked down the terminal of LaGuardia airport, looking for the baggage claim.  
  
"Where's Sean?" Emma asked, struggling to peer through the huge crowd.  
  
"He can't come past the gates, Em." Craig replied, maneuvering his way through the crowd.  
  
"Why not?" Emma replied, nearly running into an old lady, who gave her a foul look in return. "Sorry, sheesh."  
  
"Haven't you ever left the country before? You can't go into the terminal without a ticket anymore because of September 11th." Jimmy replied.  
  
"Oh. Right." Emma replied. "Where'd Manny go?"  
  
Craig and Jimmy stopped, looking around. Craig's gaze landed on Manny and he rolled his eyes.  
  
"Yo, Jim, you better grab your girl." He pointed in the direction of Manny. Jimmy rolled his eyes.  
  
"Manny!" he walked over to her and grabbed her. "Come on!"  
  
"But I wanna buy something!" she argued.  
  
"Manny, New York is nothing but a giant mall, okay? You can visit any old gift shop, but later, alright?" Jimmy replied.  
  
Manny sighed. "Alright. Can I at least stop at Starbucks?"  
  
"Manny!"  
  
A few minutes later, the four teens made it to the baggage claim. Emma pointed. "Look, there's Sean!" She waved her arms. "Sean!"  
  
Sean looked like he'd been clotheslined as his eyes settled upon Emma. She ran up to him and hugged him.  
  
"I missed you so much." She said excitedly.  
  
"Emma, what are you doing here? With...Manny and Jimmy and Craig the drug dealers? I told you to stay away from them, they're trouble." Sean said nervously.  
  
"I don't care. I had to see you." Emma replied. "So, what's up?"  
  
"Sweetie?" a girl touched Sean's shoulder curiously. "Who is she?"  
  
Emma looked at the girl, a tall, curvy brunette who looked like she should be in college.  
  
"Sean..." Emma said, and trailed off.  
  
Sean took a deep breath and sighed. "Em, I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Chelsea. Chelsea, this is my friend Emma, from Toronto."  
  
"Oh boy." Craig muttered.  
  
"Your friend?" Emma asked softly, close to tears. She swallowed hard, and looked at him evenly. "Right." She turned to Manny, Craig, and Jimmy.  
  
"Guys, you're right. Maybe this was a mistake coming. I'm just gonna grab my bags and book a flight back to Toronto. Manny, give me a call and let me know how things are going, okay?" she turned and hurried to baggage claim.  
  
Manny glared at Sean. "Very smooth, Cameron. Where'd you pick this one up at, Scores?" Without waiting for a reply, she shoved past Sean and hurried after Emma.  
  
"Well, there's a killer way to kick things off." Craig said.  
  
"Craig, shut up. This isn't my fault." Sean replied.  
  
"Sean, who is she?" Chelsea demanded, crossing her arms across her chest.  
  
Jimmy stifled a laugh. Leave it to Sean Cameron to find the dimmest bulb in the bunch.  
  
Meanwhile, Emma was standing in front of the baggage claim, looking at the conveyer belt idly, not moving, not saying anything. Manny was standing next to her, not really sure to begin.  
  
"Um, Em, your bag just passed by for the second time." She said softly.  
  
"How could he do this to me??? I mean, the second he's away from me he goes and finds...that?"  
  
"Em, he was probably just lonely. No one could ever replace you...especially not some cheap Carmen Electra knock off like that."  
  
"Then why is he with her?" Emma replied.  
  
"Em, why do guys do anything? They're idiots. Look, I know where you're coming from. When Craig dumped me for Ashley, I thought it was the end of the world. But I found someone else, and I'm really glad I did. Because I figured out Craig is a spoiled selfish brat. He's great to work with, because he can move product, but to ever go out with him again? Not happening. But, at the time, I thought I'd never love anyone else. Then Jimmy comes along, and changes all that."  
  
"Manny, I don't wanna hear it, okay? I just wanna get my bags, and get a flight back to Toronto before my mom figures out I'm gone, so I can save myself a grounding." Emma replied.  
  
"Em, you can't leave." Manny replied.  
  
"Why not?" Emma demanded.  
  
"Well, for one thing? It's safe for you to go back. I can almost guarantee that Dean's brother now knows you associate with us, and there's no telling what he'll do to you if gets ahold of you." Manny replied.  
  
"That's a chance I'm willing to take." Emma replied, hauling her suitcase off the conveyer belt.  
  
"Emma, come on! You're gonna leave me to fend for myself, with three guys and Little Miss 'I Paid Ten Grand For Them, Wanna Touch 'Em?'? Come on, you can't do that to me. I need you around to keep me sane." Manny replied.  
  
"Isn't that what Jimmy's for?" Emma replied. Manny smiled.  
  
"Jimmy does what he can, but, the truth of the matter is, the industry we work in is guaranteed to make you a total nutcase. I need all the grounding I can get. Em, I can't do this without you. Please stay?" Manny begged. "I promise I'll keep you and Hooker Barbie as far apart as possible."  
  
Emma smiled. "Alright, I'll stay. But if Sean Cameron comes anywhere near me..."  
  
Manny cut her off. "Then I promise to slip a cabdriver a fifty to run him over."  
  
"Sounds good to me." Emma replied. "Thanks, Manny."  
  
"Hey, it's what I'm here for. Now let's get the rest of our bags, because I'm starving." Manny replied. 


	4. Chapter Four: Sean's Apartment

Chapter 4: Sean's Apartment  
  
After Jimmy, Manny, Craig, and Emma had gotten their bags, everyone headed out to catch a cab to Sean's apartment. Sean's girlfriend Chelsea had to get back to work, and took a separate cab. When they learned of Chelsea's choice of occupation, it took everything Manny and Emma had not to start laughing.  
  
"Guys, chill out on Chelsea, okay?" Sean warned.  
  
Manny mock saluted. "Yes sir, Captain Hooters." Sean rolled his eyes. "So, does she wear the orange shorts around the house too? You know, to break them in?"  
  
"Manny, shut up." Sean replied. He stepped out in the street and hailed a cab.  
  
Emma and Sean squeezed in front with the can driver, much Emma's dismay. Craig, Jimmy, and Manny were left with the backseat. Craig looked at his companions and groaned, quickly looking away.  
  
"We haven't been in a cab ten seconds and already you're making out." He groaned.  
  
Jimmy didn't bother to make a comeback. That require him to stop kissing Manny, a strength he lacked. He settled for flipping Craig off.  
  
"Hey, Sean, you wanna trade places?" Craig asked.  
  
"It'd be nice." Emma said.  
  
Sean rolled his eyes. "Look, Emma, I didn't plan this. It just sorta happened."  
  
"Sure you did, Sean. So did you meet her at work?" Emma asked.  
  
"Emma, I don't think we should..."  
  
"I wanna know."  
  
Sean sighed. "Yes, I met her at her work."  
  
"Sleeping with the customers? Very classy." Emma replied.  
  
"Em, it wasn't like that. We just connected."  
  
"Connected? How can you possibly connect with someone from Hooters, Sean? How old is she anyway?"  
  
"Um, twenty two."  
  
Even Manny and Jimmy stopped kissing to blurt out "Twenty two?" along with Craig and Emma.  
  
"Isn't that illegal?" Manny asked.  
  
"Does she know you're sixteen?" Craig asked.  
  
"He's not sixteen yet." Emma replied. "He won't be, until..."  
  
"...next month." Sean finished. "Look, she thinks I'm nineteen. Don't say anything." Emma gave him a Look. "Maybe that was a bad choice of words."  
  
"You think?" Emma glared at him, and turned her head, staring out the window.  
  
A few minutes later, the cab stopped. Emma quickly got out, along with Craig, Manny, and Jimmy. Sean paid the cabbie and led them into the building.  
  
"This is where you live?" Emma asked. "Classy."  
  
Sean glared at her as he pushed up the wooden wall to the loft elevator. "Emma, do you know much Manny pays for her luxury apartment in Degrassi?"  
  
"A thousand a month." Emma replied as everyone stepped on the elevator. "Why?"  
  
"I pay twice that, for an economy one bedroom. In American dollars. I do what I can, alright?"  
  
"If you would have stayed it wouldn't be a problem." Emma shot back.  
  
"Em..." Manny warned. "You don't know the whole story."  
  
"I don't have to, Manny!"  
  
"Yeah? Did he put a gun to YOUR head, Emma?" Manny snapped.  
  
Jimmy glared at Sean. "You put a gun to her head?"  
  
"Jimmy, it's really hard to explain." Sean replied.  
  
"I got time." Jimmy replied, crossing his arms.  
  
"Damn, this is better than an episode of Jerry Springer." Craig said.  
  
"Pipe down, Manning." Sean snapped. The elevator stopped, and Sean opened the door. Unlocking his apartment door, he opened it.  
  
"Alright, this is my humble abode. Enjoy." Sean replied.  
  
"This actually isn't half bad. Kinda funky and urban." Manny commented as she looked around.  
  
"Manny, how can you be calm around someone who held a gun to your head???" Jimmy demanded.  
  
"Look, he didn't have a choice. Dean told him to."  
  
"And I couldn't shoot her. I mean, I've known the girl most of my life." Sean replied.  
  
"So that's why you left? You couldn't do a hit?" Jimmy asked.  
  
"Basically. And I owed Marin ten grand." Sean replied.  
  
"Lovely." Craig said, flopping down on the couch. "Take a look at who you consort with, Em. Drug dealers, software pirates, murderers, hitmen. Ever thought it'd end up this way?"  
  
Emma sat down next to him and sighed. "Can't say I did, Craig. Can't say I did."  
  
Later...  
  
"Okay, so, you guys need to meet my boss. I've already set up a meeting." Sean said to Manny, Jimmy, and Craig.  
  
"So what exactly would we be doing?" Jimmy asked.  
  
"Dealing. Running. Whatever." Sean replied with a shrug.  
  
"No. No way. I got out of that after I almost got my arm lobbed off by a Glock." Jimmy replied.  
  
"Well, you could work my line of work." Sean replied.  
  
"What's your line of work?" Jimmy asked.  
  
Sean looked at Emma, then back at Jimmy. "Can we get into this later?"  
  
"Hey, no need to censor yourself because of me, Sean. I'm just your ex- girlfriend you cheated on with a Hooters girl. Nothing special." Emma replied.  
  
"Are you still in your old line of work, Sean?" Manny asked, sitting on the arm of the couch next to Craig. She looked down at him. "Scoot over a little?"  
  
"Don't mind me, I'm not even here." Craig grumbled.  
  
"Basically. I dabble a little in retrieval and stuff like that, but my main thing is settling disputes." Sean replied.  
  
"Settling disputes?" Emma asked quizzically.  
  
"Em, have you ever seen Scarface?" Craig asked.  
  
"Yeah, why?" Emma replied.  
  
"Do the words 'Say hello to my little friend' ring any bells?" Craig responded.  
  
"Oh god." Emma put her head in her hands. "I can't believe what you people have turned into! You're like this big twisted mafia family!"  
  
Manny and Craig glared at each other. "I wouldn't go right to family." Manny replied. "Family doesn't knock you up then dump you for another chick, right Craig?"  
  
"Bite me." Craig replied.  
  
"They might in Kansas." Sean commented. Emma rolled her eyes.  
  
"Anyway. So, you guys mind telling me exactly what your plan of attack is?" Emma asked.  
  
"For...?" Manny asked.  
  
Emma glared at her. "For dealing with Dean's brother, dumbass."  
  
"Oh that. Right. Um, Craig's handling that angle."  
  
"I have some contacts in BC that'll take care of it for me." Craig replied.  
  
"Take care of it?" Emma asked. Jimmy made a gun out of his two fingers and thumb and held it to his head, making a clicking noise with his tongue. She rolled her eyes. "Sorry I asked."  
  
"Look, Em. Like I said before, we really didn't plan on any of this. Things just got way out of hand." Manny replied.  
  
"Yeah, because that never happens with cocaine." Emma replied sarcastically.  
  
"Em, like I always say, don't knock it til you've tried it." Sean replied.  
  
"That your point of view on Hooters too?" Emma asked.  
  
Sean rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Jimmy, Manny, you guys are coming with me, Craig, stay here, keep Emma company, make sure she doesn't destroy anything."  
  
"Screw you." Emma replied.  
  
"You had your shot." Sean replied, grabbing his coat. Emma scowled and looked away. "Let's go." 


End file.
